Tournament F.A.Q.

This page answers Frequently Asked Questions about the Tournament Maximus a.k.a. the Tournament of Death.

WHEN IS TOD BEING WRITTEN?

TOD is being written “live” during the Summer 2008 Olympics. If all goes as planned, when the games end, the story will be finished, too.

IS THE STORY BEING WRITTEN EACH DAY?

Yes. Steve will be writing each chapter as the Olympics progress. Each day he will write at least 1000 words, and each day he will post a new chapter of the story.

CAN STEVE GET AHEAD?

If Steve gets on a roll, he may write more than one chapter in a day — though he doesn’t plan on writing too far ahead. He wants the fans to be able to interact with the story!

WHAT IF STEVE FALLS BEHIND?

Let’s not talk about that. Seriously, barring some kind of emergency, Steve hopes that won’t become an issue.

HOW MUCH OF THE STORY DOES STEVE HAVE PLANNED?

Steve has a starting point, an ending point, and some of the major characters already in his head. It’s a bit like knowing you’re going to drive from Boston to LA, but not knowing how you’re going to get there. The adventure is in the journey.

WHY IS STEVE DOING THIS?

As a writer, Steve feels it is important to challenge himself. Previously, he did a project where he wrote a story every day for 100 days. This is something like that. It’s also a chance for him to expand his audience and interact with his fans. If it works out as planned, it also gives him something to do while watching the Olympics.

WILL THE STORY BE COLLECTED INTO A BOOK?

Yes, at the end of the project, the story will be collected into book form. Watch for details once the tournament is over.

WHAT WAS STEVE’S INSPIRATION FOR DOING THIS PROJECT?

Steve’s always been a big fan of the Olympics. He’s also very fond of Sasuke and Kunoichi — Japanese obstacle course shows. As a Bruce Lee fan, he also loves the original storyline for Game of Death (the one released on Warrior’s Journey, not the movie cobbled together after Lee’s death) and Enter the Dragon. Hercules movies and films like Gladiator are keen, too. All those things combined with Steve’s love of fantasy to form the basis of this story.

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